Benjamin f



(No Model.)

B. F. ROBINSON.

MERCHANTS SHELF BOX. No. 268,939. Patented Dec. 12, 1882.

INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

n. PETERS. mmme mr. Wahlnlon. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT met.

BENJAMIN n. ROBINSON, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

' MERDHANTS SH ELF-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,939, dated December 12, 1882,

Application filed May 3,1882. (No model.)

drawings, forming part of this specification,

in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding'parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my new and improved shelf-box as it appears when folded. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same as it appears when open. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the main part or body of the box with the hingedwings removed. Fig. 4: is a perspective view of one of the wings; and Figs. 5 and 6 are detailed sectional elevations, showing the hinges by which the wings are attached to the main body of the box. Fig. 7 is aplan D D of the box.

view, showing the latches and hand-grasp.

A represents the main part or body of the box, which is formed of the end piece, I), bottom a, and the partial side walls, 0 c, which latter reach from the end piece, I), to about the center of the length of the bottom at. These side pieces are made triangular in form and of ornamental outline, as shown, and are adapted to hold the goods upon the bottom a. Hinged to the side edges of the bottom aare the wings These wings, when folded to close the box, form the main part of the sides of the box, one entire end, and the entire cover, as shown in Fig. 1. When unfolded they are adapted to swing back under the bottom a, as shown in Fig. 2, for supporting the main part A, so that the goods therein will be held in an elevated position for convenient inspection.

(1 d are the parts of the wings which, when the wings are closed, form the end of the box opposite to the end b. c c are the parts of the wings which form the cover of the box, which are each aboutone-half the width of the bottom a, andff are the parts of the wings which form the main sidewalls of the box. The parts 9 g of the wings, when the box is closed, come outside of the end I), as shown in Fig. 1, and these parts are made triangularin form and of ornamental outline, like the partial side wall, 0 c, of the mainpart A. The curved edges of the parti l1 end pieces,g g, ofthe wings 5 ot' the box are recessed, as shown at h h, and these recesses are so formed as to form the detents or lips t" i, with Which the latches j j, which are hinged to the outside of the end piece, b, engage for locking the wings D D in folded position. The latchesjj may he formed of spring-wire and pivoted to the end piece,b,

by the shank e of the hand-grasp, as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, thus adapting them to be raised by placing two fingers against their under side and raising them free of the lips t i in the recesses h h of the wings D D. The hinges by which the wings I) D are hinged to the edges of the bottom a are formed of the plates 1 Z, which are secured respectively to the under side of the bottom a and to theedges of the boards f of the wings D, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and of the intermediate plates,

m, thus forming toggle-hinges, whereby the said wings D may be swung under the bottom a, as shown in Figsl and 6,and folded to close the box, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. Upon the inside of the end piece, I), is secured the springclamp 12, which serves to hold the goods placed in the box at the ends thereto next to the end piece, I), and permits the easy removal of the pieces selected. In this manner it will be seen that the side pieces, 0 c, confine the goods in the box only at one end, that the outer ends of the pieces areleft free to be raised forinspeotion up- 8 5 on both sides and turned back,one offfrom the other, for exhibiting the varieties. llt willalso be seen that the pieces selected may be removed from the box without materially disturbing the remainder, that when the box is closed itprotects the goods from dust, and that in this manner the goods are saved from the wear and damage incident to frequent handling, and that the annoyance and loss of selling by samples, as is now the practice, is over- 5 come. 1

Having thus fully described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A merchants shelf-box for holding ham- 10o burgs and similar goods, consisting of the body A, having partial side walls,and the inclosing side wings, D D, hinged to the bottom of the body, substantially as shown and described.

2. The inclosing side wings, D D, hinged to the body A in such manner that they areadaptbody A, under the hand-grasp k, in combinaed to be swung over and close the box, and to tion with the wings D D, having the lips i '5, be swung under the body A for supporting the formed in the, end pieces, g g, thereof, sub-' 5 same, as and for the purposes set forth. stan tially as described.

3. The ends 9 g of thewingsDD, formedwith BENJAMIN F". ROBINSON. the lips '5 'i, in combination-with the latches. j 5 Witnesses: j, pivoted to the end piece, 12, substantially as H. A. WEST, described. EDGAR TATE.

4. The latehes'jj, pivoted to theend b of the 10 

